1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of apparatuses and methods for monitoring operations carried out utilizing VDTs (visual display terminals) such as personal computers, word processors and workstations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In these days, a variety of electronic apparatuses utilizing VDTs have widely spread not to speak of personal computers, word processors and workstations, and VDT operations have become quite popular. As is well known, an operator at a VDT operation can suffer from physical problems such as eye fatigue, stiff shoulders and headache after viewing the VDT screen for a long period of time continuously. Therefore, an operator at a VDT must take a rest periodically on his or her own judgement to keep the health.
However, some VDT operations must be conducted intensively for reasons including the nature of the tasks and time limits. As a result, VDT operations may be performed for a long time in unconsciousness of time, which has resulted in physical problems as described above.
For example, prior techniques to solve this problem include the apparatus for limiting the time of continued use of a VDT disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication (KOKAI) No. S61-187090 and the electronic apparatus disclosed in Japanese unexamined publication (KOKAI) No. H5-173663.
Referring first to the apparatus for limiting the time of continued use of a VDT disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication (KOKAI) No. S61-187090, it repeats an operation in which the operating time of a VDT is measured to detect that a VDT operation has continued for a predetermined time; the operator is notified of a time to rest with the operation of the VDT temporarily stopped by force; the rest time is measured to detect that a predetermined rest time has been spent; the measurement of the VDT operating time and the rest time is reset; and the operation of the VDT is resumed.
With the apparatus for limiting the time of continued use of a VDT disclosed in said publication, means for performing the above-described operation makes it possible to set a rest time automatically upon the detection of the fact that the a VDT has been operated for a predetermined time and to notify the operator of the time to rest. This provides a countermeasure to fatigue of eyes which is the most serious problem with VDT operations, and this is quite effective in preventing problems to the health of an operator because the health care is compulsory rather than self-motivated.
However, VDT operations often involve replacement of operators. A problem arises with the apparatus for limiting the time of continued use of a VDT disclosed in said publication in that no consideration is paid as to whether the measurement of a VDT operating time is to be reinitiated after a reset or to be continued without a reset in such a case. Further, since the VDT operation is forcibly stopped, there has been no way to continue an urgent operation selectively.
With the electronic apparatus disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication (KOKAI) No. H5-173663, an arbitrary time is set with a time setting dial; the presence of an operator in front of the VDT is detected with a sensor; time measurement with a timer is initiated if an operator is present; time measurement with the timer is stopped if no operator is present; and, when the time measured by the timer coincides with the time set with the time setting dial, audible and visual indications are provided to notify the operator of that time.
With the electronic apparatus disclosed in said publication, the presence of an operator in front of a VDT is detected with a sensor, and the operating time of the VDT is measured with a timer. It is therefore possible for a VDT operator to have an accurate understanding of the time during which he or she has faced the electronic apparatus (operating time). However, since the presence of an operator in front of a VDT does not necessarily mean that the operator is performing a VDT operation, a problem has existed in that it is actually difficult to know the operating time of a VDT.
The present invention has been devised to solve the above-described problems with the prior art, and it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method for monitoring a VDT operation which allow each of a plurality of operators using a VDT by turns to know the operating time of the VDT accurately.
In order to solve the above-described problems, according to the invention, there is provided a VDT operation monitoring apparatus comprising time measuring means for measuring time, control means for detecting a time measured by the time measuring means and notification means for providing notification of desired information under the control of the control means, which is configured such that the VDT is put in a rest state when the control means detects that a preset operating time has passed. The VDT operation monitoring apparatus further comprises operation selecting means for allowing any one of the states of starting, continuing and stopping an operation to be selected while the time measurement is being conducted, and comprises the control means determines the state of the VDT in accordance with the selection.
According to the invention, there is provided a VDT operation monitoring apparatus comprising the control means initializes the time measuring means when the selection to start an operation is made.
According to the invention, there is provided a VDT operation monitoring apparatus comprising the control means puts the VDT operation monitoring apparatus in a rest state when the selection to stop an operation is made.
According to the invention, there is provided a VDT operation monitoring apparatus comprising the control means causes the notification means to provide a notification of the fact that a time measured by the time measuring means has exceeded a preset time to rest.
According to the invention, there is provided a VDT operation monitoring apparatus comprising the operation selecting means allows a selection as to whether an operation is to be resumed or not when a preset rest time has passed.
According to the invention, there is provided a VDT operation monitoring apparatus as described above comprising an electronic apparatus including a VDT and a software program operating on the electronic apparatus.
According to the invention, there is provided a method for monitoring a VDT operation comprising the steps of measuring a time during which an VDT is in operation, putting the VDT in a rest state when the measured time exceeds a preset operating time, allowing an operator to select any one of alternatives, i.e., starting, continuing and stopping the operation and determining the state of the VDT in accordance with the selection.
According to the method for monitoring a VDT operation of the invention, the measured time can be initialized to resume the measurement when the selection to start the operation is made.
According to the method for monitoring a VDT operation of the invention, the VDT can be put in a rest state when the selection to stop the operation is made.
According to the method for monitoring a VDT operation of the invention, it is possible to measure time after the rest state is entered and to cause the VDT to indicate the fact that the time has exceeded a preset rest time.
According to the method for monitoring a VDT operation of the invention, the operator can make a selection as to whether to resume the operation when the rest time has passed.
According to the invention, there is further provided a method comprising a first step of measuring a time during which a VDT is in operation, a second step of putting the VDT in a rest state when the measured time exceeds a preset operating time, a third step of allowing the operator to select any one of alternatives, i.e., starting, continuing and stopping the operation after the rest state is entered, a fourth step of determining the state of the VDT in accordance with the selection and a fifth step of recording at least the first through fourth steps, and there is provided a recording medium which stores the first through fourth steps.
A VDT operation monitoring apparatus according the invention comprises as described above and includes time measuring means for measuring time, control means for detecting at least a time measured by the time measuring means and notification means for providing a notification of desired information under the control of the control means.
The apparatus of the invention is configured such that a VDT is put in a rest state when the control means detects a measured time and determines that the measured time exceeds a present operating time. The term xe2x80x9crest state of a VDTxe2x80x9d means a state in which an operator can not perform an operation utilizing a VDT and also implies states such as a state wherein a VDT indicates that it is in a rest state and a state wherein the screen of a VDT is off.
Further, there is provided operation selecting means to allow an operator to select any one of states, i.e., starting, continuing and stopping an operation while the operating time is being measured, and the control means is configured such that it determines the state of the VDT in accordance with the selection.
Therefore, a flexible action can be taken even during an operating time in situations becomes necessary, such as terminating operation, or entering a rest state or restarting of the measurement of the operating time when the operator is replaced.
When a rest state is entered and the rest time is passed, a standby state is entered. Therefore, a flexible action can be taken even in complicated situations, e.g., even when the rest time varies depending on operators or days the week.